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Hiawatha USD 415 board approves sound‑abatement panels, directs further study of generator and HVAC options
Summary
The board voted to accept a School Specialty proposal for gym sound‑abatement panels and heard updates on a failed middle‑school generator, an HVAC maintenance proposal, and roofing and accessibility projects; the generator and maintenance agreements will be investigated further before final contract approvals.
The Hiawatha USD 415 Board of Education approved a contract to install sound‑abatement panels in the elementary gym and received multiple facilities updates, including a failed middle‑school generator and a proposed annual maintenance agreement for major HVAC equipment.
During the facilities segment, Tim (district facilities lead) reported a failed VRF compressor at the elementary and recommended a ceiling‑mounted panel system from School Specialty to reduce reverberation. After discussion about vendor options and the possibility of building panels in‑house, Speaker 1 moved to accept the School Specialty proposal; the motion was seconded and approved by the board. Speaker 2 later announced the bid amount as $30,647.
Tim also described a catastrophic failure of the middle‑school emergency generator, which he said is roughly 20–24 years old and suffered internal engine damage. He presented a contractor estimate for full replacement (about $46,000 with a 28–30 week lead time) and outlined alternatives, including a centralized battery backup or decentralized battery‑backed fixtures on individual emergency lights. Board members asked Tim to investigate those alternatives and temporary measures to maintain compliance in the interim.
The district received a quote from the original installer (P1) for a certified maintenance agreement covering the tower, chiller and boilers: four preventative‑maintenance visits per year and priority service for $13,008.24 annually. Board members requested the full contract language and details on what is included in the service calls before any authorization to sign; Jackie (Speaker 7) asked that the contract be circulated and that hard copies be provided at a forthcoming meeting.
Other facilities items discussed: a preliminary $95,000–$105,000 estimate to replace the high‑school roof and a request to authorize going out to bid; proposed accessibility work at the district office (non‑plumbing portion estimated under $7,000, total under $10,000) and authorization to proceed; and buried electrical lines to provide plug‑ins for bus charging. Tim said the bus work has been submitted to the service center and will proceed.
Next steps: the board directed staff to forward the full maintenance contract for review, to pursue alternatives for the middle‑school emergency power, to proceed with formal bids for the roof project, and to coordinate timing for sound‑abatement installation with vendor lead times.
